When You Share My Bed, You Share My Name
by unlastingforever
Summary: "I ain't ever leavin' ya, woman, so ya better get used to having me around." Daryl and Carol's relationship continues to grow as the group struggles to find their way on the road. Picks up after the farm but disregards the end of By the Dying Fire. Major CARYL!
1. Chapter 1

**SUMMARY: "I ain't ever leavin' ya, woman, so ya better get used to having me around." Daryl and Carol get closer than ever before as the group struggles to find their way on the road. Picks up after the farm but disregards By the Dying Fire. Major CARYL! **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of this. Trust me, if I did CARYL would have happened ages ago!**

**A/N: Okay, so this is my first TWD fic. I write all of the time, but I was nervous to walk down this path. My love for CARYL won out, and here we go. It might be terrible, but I'm excited about it, and I hope you are too! Happy reading! - Rachael**

Her legs began to ache from the rumble of the motorcycle beneath her, unused to the strange feel of the bike. Her arms were wrapped securely around his waist, securing her position on the bike behind him. His back was used as a shield for the harsh wind that had been stinging her face.

She had no idea how long they had been on the road, but it had been hours. They only stopped for a few hours to regroup after they had lost the farm, Andrea, Jimmy, and Patricia, but they knew that they couldn't stay on the dangerous road. It was where they lost Sophia. A herd could come through any minute and take the entire group out. The caravan moved on, refusing to stop unless absolutely necessary.

Though the bike wasn't something she was used to, or comfortable on, she was relieved when he looked at her and jerked his head toward the bike, offering her a ride with him instead of with the others. He offered her more comfort and protection than any of the cars would have anyway.

Things between them had gotten better since both of their outbursts over Sophia. Though they were still both scarred and unsure of who to act with one another, they took comfort from each other. He was always looking for her in a group, making sure she was safe. She was always anxious when he was on a hunt or run.

The caravan slowed down, shuddering to a stop on a deserted road, woods surrounding them on either side. A short honk from Rick informed Daryl that it was time to take a break from the road.

Daryl turned off the bike and waited for her to climb off first. She used his shoulders to steady herself, and he tensed at the sudden pressure her hand offered. He quickly climbed off himself and stalked quickly to where the rest were congregating, making sure she was following him as he went.

"We're losin' light," Rick said, sighing as he closed the door to his car. "We should set up camp for the night and keep moving tomorrow."

"To where? We can't keep moving with nowhere to go," Lori snapped. Rick had told them about Shane, that he had killed him. He told them what he knew of the virus that rested in all of them and why he kept it a secret before they left the clustered highway. Carol was surprised the woman was even staying in the car with Rick. Though Carol was angry that he kept it from them, she understood why he did. She also understood why he killed Shane, glad, even, that the man's unruly and rash thinking wouldn't accompanying them on the road.

"Better than staying out in the open," Carol replied, offering Rick a supportive smile which he returned.

"Well, quit yappin' and get to it," Daryl ordered, nodding toward their temporary home.

At that the group was put in motion, moving into the small clearing to start the tasks that they had all gotten used to doing in their time with each other. Tents were set up as Carol began getting food together to cook over the fire that T-Dog was building. Maggie was following her lead, grabbing the food for dinner with Beth tagging along behind her.

After Daryl set up the tents, he went for a perimeter check to make sure that they were alone and no walkers would be disturbing them as Glenn took on first watch.

Carol and Maggie put together the little food the group had, knowing that a run would have to be made soon, especially if they were on the road. When they were on the roads, it wasn't as easy for Daryl to hunt for their dinners. Carol sighed, knowing that Daryl would be going out to get them what they needed.

"I'll let them know," Carol said to Maggie before getting up and walking to where Rick, T-Dog, and Hershel were pouring over maps. She approached quietly, waiting for the men to finish whatever it was that they were deciding.

When they seemed to be finished, at least until Daryl joined them, she cleared her throat to get their attention. "We're running low on supplies: food and water. We'll need winter clothes too, and it wouldn't hurt to get stuff for the baby."

Rick nodded. "You just make a list of what we need, and we'll plan out a run with Daryl."

Carol agreed and looked around for the mentioned man. She couldn't recall when her feelings for him changed, but they certainly had. He was the only thing grounding her, the only thing she had left. The thing that got her through the death of her little girl. She knew he couldn't and wouldn't want her. What was she but a defenseless victim, who had never been able to protect herself or her little girl. She had learned from Ed that she was undesirable, and he had broken her so completely. Daryl was attractive, a survivor. Even if he were to want a relationship, it certainly wouldn't be with her.

Sighing, she broke out of her revere and walked back to the fire where Maggie was still trying to make enough to feed the entire group. Just as she was about to take over, a string of squirrels was thrown at her feet. Of course he wasn't just checking for walkers; he had provided for the group, again.

"Thanks."

He nodded, sitting down near her to clean his gear while keeping her in his line of sight. He didn't understand why he cared so much whether she lived or died, why he cared more about her than the rest of the group. He was drawn to her; she didn't complain, never stopped doing stuff for the group. She thought he was a good man, and no one had ever done that before. He had a need to protect her. He had to keep her safe. Though who'd want a Dixon; a redneck who was just as scared, if not more, of relationships than she was.

~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~

As dinner finished, people began to eat the squirrel that Carol was almost an expert at cooking. They ate in silence, huddled close together in the cooling evening. Daryl snarled at anyone who tried to take the seat next to him, her seat. They didn't say anything, even when she did sit down, but she was pleased that he had thought to save her a seat.

"We're gonna go ahead tomorrow; Daryl, Glenn, T-Dog, and I. Hershel's gonna take care of everyone here. We need supplies pretty bad, and we can scout out if there's anywhere worth stayin'. We leave at first light, so Carol, have that list ready." Rick's voice was firm, final sounding as he listed off his orders and decisions. It was nerve racking, having so many gone, but Hershel could take care of them; he had proved that the previous night.

Daryl took first watch as she made her way into her tent. She stopped abruptly when she entered. Propped up beside her stuff was Daryl's sleeping mat and bag. She smiled; though neither knew how to be with one another, he was trying. Trying to be close to her.

She sighed as she rested herself in the sleeping bag. She was glad they were leaving soon; she hated the woods. There were too many walkers, and it reminded her of losing Sophia. They never knew if a walker would be coming, and someone on watch just wasn't enough. It was getting too cold anyway, especially with Lori moving along in her pregnancy.

She stayed awake, too unsettled by the woods, shivering and anxious for the next day. The group had never been without all four men, and the thought of Daryl out in the unknown was enough to scare her.

She was halted in her thoughts as the tent was unzipped and the familiar sound of boots filled the small space. Carol feigned sleep as he put his crossbow down. He went about his nightly rituals before zipping the tent back up and opening his own sleeping bag to settle in for the night.

"I know ya ain't asleep, woman. Yer teeth won't stop chatterin'."

"It's cold's all," she said, burrowing deeper into her sleeping bag on the hard forest floor.

"C'mere," he muttered softly, holding open his sleeping bag for her to get in as well.

She was surprised that he was letting her get so close, but didn't hesitate to climb in the small space and soak up the warmth from his body.

"Better?"

She nodded against him, pressing her face into his chest. Her heart fluttered as his arm wrapped around her waist and rested at the small of her back. He was tense, unsure of what to do. He'd never laid down with a woman before. Sure he'd slept with them, but he always kicked them out afterwards. He was never too keen on having any emotions, but Carol was changing all of that.

"I'm worried about tomorrow," she confessed quietly.

"Why the hell you worried? Ain't nothing to be worried about."

"But you're goin' off, and..."

"Nothing is gonna fuckin' happen to me.I'm more worried about you. Look out for yourself and stay safe. I'll be fine, and I'll come back to ya."

"You stay safe too," she said softly, but it was an order.

"Go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow before nightfall."

She knew that she'd be worried all day, but the last thing she wanted to do was smother him. He was a survivor, and if he said he'd come back to her, he'd come back.

**A/N: Well, what did you think? Let me know! If there is anything you want to see, don't be afraid to ask! **


	2. Chapter 2

**SUMMARY: "I ain't ever leavin' ya, woman, so ya better get used to having me around." Daryl and Carol get closer than ever before as the group struggles to find their way on the road. Picks up after the farm but disregards By the Dying Fire. Major CARYL!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of this. Trust me, if I did CARYL would have happened ages ago!**

**A/N: Thank you for all of the kind words! I had already began this chapter when I posted the last one, and your reviews and reads had me wanting to write even quicker! I think it was the quickest that I had ever gotten that many reviews! Keep reviewing! Thank you! Happy Reading! - Rachael**

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Carol woke up alone in Daryl's sleeping bag, almost immediately missing the warmth he had provided . He was already gone with the others, leaving Lori, Carl, Beth, Maggie, and Hershel behind, along with Carol.

She sighed as she got up to prepare for the day. A day she was sure was going to be passed by slowly and anxiously. They'd all be nervous for the rest of their family that was out foraging for anything they could use, and they were left behind, forced to fend for themselves. Neither group was prepared to fight if a large herd came upon them. There just wasn't enough people.

When she sat up, she saw a gun and a buck knife lying beside her, Daryl's gun and buck knife. Clearly Daryl had wanted her to keep his weapons on her; he never would have left them behind if that wasn't the case. He was, yet again, looking out for her. Never had someone taken the time to care for her the way that he did.

She slipped the gun into her back pocket before threading the knife through her belt.

Though Daryl had been teaching her how to use both weapons, she didn't feel confident enough to protect the small group left at camp, but it would have to do. She knew how badly the group needed the run, and Daryl was essential to it. They needed all of them; they had no idea what was out there. If they ran into any trouble, they had a better chance to survive with each other.

Camp was still quiet when she stepped out of the camp. Maggie stood on watch, quirking an eyebrow at the woman. She had clearly seen Daryl come out of the same tent at the beginning of her watch and was wondering why they were sharing. She just shook her head and smiled before beginning to get breakfast ready: powdered eggs and some squirrel meet that Daryl had left where she could find it. She smiled; he had clearly taken care of her before he left.

"Need any help?" Beth asked sweetly as she walked to Carol.

"Can you take over the eggs? I gotta get the squirrel ready."

Once the meet was added to the eggs over the fire, people began to come out of their tents to sit around. Beth helped Carol dish out some of the breakfast before passing it out to everyone.

Carl wolfed his share down as Lori timidly at the food that's smell made her nauseated, trying not to throw up. Everyone was tense, clearly nervous for the men that went out. The family was fragmented and that never led to anything good. Their return couldn't come soon enough, and hopefully it would bring back every member of their family.

The group went about their business, but decided to stay in pairs of two. They were to never leave the camp without telling the rest of the group and never went without their partner. Lori rested with Carl looking over her. Maggie and Hershel were on watch together while Carol and Beth were to stick together. It was merely a waiting game. They kept busy to keep from worrying about those who had left. Though it wasn't working for Carol. She tried to do as much as she could, cleaning up everything they had, and sorting through their materials, but her thoughts kept on returning to the group's hunter, their second-in-command.

Beth and Carol collected more firewood along the edges of the clearance once the rest of the chores were done.

"I just want them back. It's scary out here without them," Beth mumbled worriedly, checking over her shoulder as she picked up a few more sticks.

"We'll be just fine," Carol assured the younger girl, brushing her hand over her belt to make sure that the knife was still in place. When she felt confident that it wasn't falling out, she helped the girl collect what they could. If Daryl didn't' come back, she didn't know what she would do. It had already been hours since Carol had woken, and they had left before that. No one knew where the next town was or what it was like.

"You're right, your man'll get'm back safe'n'sound," Beth said, feeling more confident than Carol did.

"Daryl's not my man," Carol said quietly.

"He certainly could've fooled everyone with the way he looks at you."

Carol felt her cheeks flame up as she looked at the girl and smiled. Beth moved a little bit ahead of her as they piled themselves with more sticks for their fire, enough to keep it going through the night if need be.

"That's the problem; he needs to fool himself into the same line of thinkin'." Beth giggled at Carol as she stepped a bit deeper in the thin line of trees. Carol turned when she caught sight of a small berry bush. She was hesitant to even pick them, fearing that they could be poisonous. The only person that'd know would be Daryl.

Thinking of the berries and Daryl had her distracted that she wasn't paying enough attention to Beth until the girl let out a shrill scream. Growls and shuffling accompanied Beth seconds later as the dead came forward.

Carol was desperate for the girl to be okay. She had only ever killed a handful of walkers; everyone had done it for her, fearing that she was too weak to take any on herself without being a danger to the others or her own life.

She grabbed the knife from her hip, knowing that the gun would make far too much noise for the woods, and ran to Beth. Beth was on the ground, pushing herself backwards as a walker loomed over her. The girl was struggling to get away as his teeth got nearer and nearer to her flesh.

Carol ran at the undead being and plunged her knife in the back of the skull, killing it automatically. She helped the girl up off of the ground and grabbed her shoulders forcefully.

"Are you bit?"

"No," the girl forced out, shaking her head vehemently as she clung to the older woman. She pointed behind Carol, forcing her to turn around.

There was a small herd coming towards them. It would have been easy to take out had they had all of their people. Carol stabbed another in the eye that reached out to the two of them and grabbed Beth's arm, pulling her along. They ran to the clearing where Maggie and Hershel looked up, alarmed, at their sudden appearance. They began to grab for their guns.

"No! We can't. We'll draw every walker in the woods, and we don't have enough people to deal with that," Carol said forcefully, taking on the leadership that the group needed at that moment. The others nodded before handing out the melee weapons. Maggie gave Beth a machete, wielding her own pickax Hershel had a knife, not unlike her own. They'd made sure that Lori was still safe in the car and prepared to fight with just the four of them.

They stayed in their groups of two and carefully treaded toward the few that had already broken through the trees. Maggie and Hershel quickly took down one each, and Carol took down two on her own. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins as she worked her way through the walkers. Daryl was the only thought on her mind; she had to stay alive for him. He'd asked her to stay safe, and she was going to do just that.

There were only a handful left when Carl made his way out of the vehicle that he and Lori had occupied. He had his own weapon in hand, making quick work of one walker. Though as that one fell, two more converged on him. They were both substantially larger than the boy, and Carol knew that he wouldn't stand a chance against them.

The group couldn't lose another child, so she pushed Beth toward her family and ran over to Carl as fast as her legs could carry her. She plunged the knife into the one's head, pulling it out as quickly as she could. She then grabbed the other one by the back and pulled it away from the boy. It turned on her and growled as it tried to bite her. She pushed her blade through the forehead just before it had gotten a chance to sink it's teeth into her.

Carl quickly threw himself into Carol's arms, clutching the back of her shirt in fear. Carol turned to make sure they weren't about to be attacked to find several more of the undead lying on the ground. Maggie, Hershel, and Beth had taken the rest out, averting them from catastrophe.

"Go back to your momma, and make sure she's alright. We're gonna pack up the tents and sleep in cars for the evening," Carol told the boy, glancing at the others, who nodded in agreement. There could be more, and the cars were the safest places for them.

"It's getting dark, and they're not back yet. Do you think somethin' happened?" Carl asked, looking up at Carol.

"They might have had to wait some walkers out. Everything'll be just fine." Carol ruffled the boy's hair before walking him to the car Lori was in.

They all started packing up their tents and belongings, storing them in the proper vehicles before climbing in, so they could rest for the night. It still wasn't time to sleep, but no one felt safe exposed in the clearing. They were all on alert, careful not to make too much noise.

Maggie stayed on watch, Carl at her side. Beth decided to stay in the truck with Carol; they had been lucky that they were left with the vehicles.

"Are you sure everything's gonna be fine?" Beth's voice cut through the silence of the car.

"No, but I have to have faith."

"Faith in what? I'm not so sure God's listenin' to us anymore."

"Not faith in God, faith in Daryl. He'll come back; I know it. That man always manages to find his way back," she said, though she was terrified that he'd prove her wrong before the next few days were out. "Let's try to get some sleep. We have watch in the morning."

~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~

"What the fucking hell?"

Carol and Beth shot up from their positions in the cab of the truck. Light was just starting to peek through the night sky when they were disturbed from their troubled slumber. No one could sleep with the worry that another herd could just walk on through, leaving Carl and Maggie alone to fend for themselves.

Carol quickly opened the door to the truck, hopping out. In the clearing was Daryl, Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog. Maggie was already in Glenn's arms, as was Lori in Rick's, and Carol found herself wishing she could do the same to Daryl. She knew he would not take the contact happily.

"Thank God, y'all are back," she said, settling for a smile in his direction.

Though he was glad to see her, he didn't smile back. Instead, he looked at the ground that was littered with walkers. All with some sort of wound to the head, killing them. They had double checked each one, making sure that none of them were going to come back in the middle of the night when nobody was paying attention.

"What happened?" Rick asked, surveying the damage as well.

"Herd came up while Carol and I were lookin' for firewood. One almost got me, but Carol killed it. We ran back up here and we had to fight the rest of them. There were about twenty of them in all, but they weren't too close together," Beth explained, stepping slightly forward.

"Carol saved me too, Dad! She was so awesome, takin' out two walkers on her own to save me," Carl praised, shooting Carol a beaming smile.

"We need to move on, get everything ready and go. We managed to get enough supplies to last us a while," Rick said, moving to get the new supplies dispersed.

"I already cleaned everything up; we're ready to move when you are," Carol informed the leader, moving a little closer to Daryl as she did so.

He looked exhausted, ready to drop at any minute. His eyes were dark, and his body was slumped over slightly. However, he was ready to take on anything that came towards the group. They'd probably fought quite a few walkers themselves. As the group spread out, he closed the distance between them quickly, trying to check over her body.

"You alright?" His voice was tense, worry filled.

"I'm fine. Was worried about you, but I'm fine."

"Ain't nothing to worry about over me. We found more supplies than we thought we would. You took on a fuckin' herd," he growled, clearly upset that they had had to deal with something like that alone.

She nodded at him, touching his arm to try and comfort him, to squash his worries over her. He flinched at her touch, but didn't shy away from her. "But I'm fine."

"Yeah, but we ain't leavin' again. I'm not leavin' ya to defend the group by yourself again. I fucked up; shouldn't have left y'all so weak."

"I'd be dead if it wasn't for you," she whispered, handing out his gun and knife. "Thank you."

"Keep 'em. Ya need somethin' to use in case I'm not there to protect ya. I'm real proud of ya for what ya did," he said pushing the weaponry back to her.

Rick called from his car to let the two know that they were ready to move forward, out of the clearing. Daryl stalked over to his bike as the others made their way to the cars. He flung his leg over the motorcycle, and turned it on. Carol was unsure if he wanted her with him or not, but when he saw her waiting there he rolled his eyes.

"You comin'?" he called out to her. She scrambled to join him on the bike, wrapping her arms around his waist, eager to get out of the dangerous clearing. Daryl pulled out, leading the caravan. The others weren't too far behind, following Daryl. Carol was pretty sure that they had no idea where they were going. No one knew where could be safe.

She settled in, resting her head between his shoulder blades. They'd likely be on the road for a while, trying to find anywhere that might be secure, at least for the night.

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**A/N: Let me know what you think and what you want to see! You know what to do! **


	3. Chapter 3

**SUMMARY: "I ain't ever leavin' ya, woman, so ya better get used to having me around." Daryl and Carol get closer than ever before as the group struggles to find their way on the road. Picks up after the farm but disregards By the Dying Fire. Major CARYL!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of this. Trust me, if I did CARYL would have happened ages ago!**

**A/N: I am floored with how well this story is doing already! Thank you all for reading! I am trying to update as frequently as possible, but I'm in my senior year of high school, getting ready for college, and I work a part-time job. I've been writing during classes and typing during my creative writing class. This is a bit of a filler, but it's important to the plot, and we have Carol and Daryl sharing a bed...The more you guys review, the quicker I want to write! So happy reading! - Rachael**

They had been travelling for a few days through small groups of walkers, stopping only to sleep in their cars and eat dinner. Carol knew that the men who had gone on the run had to be tired. It was early one morning when Daryl decided that they needed to find a place to rest for a few days.

Daryl started to slow down, gesturing with his hand that he wanted the group to pull over to the side of the road. The others followed, quickly stepping out of their cars to see what their second-in-command had wanted.

"I know a place we could go for a few days, close to here. There's some supplies and weapons we could use. I'd be able to hunt," Daryl said, looking at Carol. "Everyone needs some rest."

Rick nodded. "I'll trust your judgement. We need to make decisions on where we're goin' anway. We can't keep runnin' blind."

Daryl started the motorcycle again, Carol still securely behind him, and waited for the others to get back in their cars. He kicked off and led them down the road for a few miles before veering off onto a path in the woods.

Carol held on a tiny bit tighter as he made his way expertly through the woods. They came to a stop a few yards away from a large wooden fence. There were about ten walkers in front of the building, who looked up when the group got there, moving towards them in hunger. Daryl got off the bike, Carol following suit, poising himself in a defensive position.

Daryl made quick work of three of them, sending arrows flying through their heads while Carol took on one with her buck knife before turning to a second. Rick had ran over and taken care of a few with his own knife, Glenn and T-Dog not far behind him. The rest of the group got out to help move the bodies away from the fence.

Once they were all taken care of, Daryl opened the fence wide enough for the cars to get through, letting the others drive through.

There was a relatively large house sitting in the middle with a shed resting beside it. A hunting post was risen above the fence line, giving a good view of the property and what lied just outside; it would make a good watch post.

"The fences ain't that strong, but they'll hold for a week or two," Daryl informed Rick, stalking to the shed. He opened the door to show the group several guns, ammo, and a few extra crossbows.

"Where did all this come from?" Hershel asked as Daryl handed him a shotgun.

"This here was my daddy's place. When he died, Merle and I used it for huntin' grounds. We'd never made it back here before the world went to shit. Left all this fuckin' stuff here," he replied as he continued to hand out the weapons he had found, storing a few in the bags that they had gathered.

"This was your house growin' up?" Carol asked softly, looking up at the building that she was sure held terrible memories for Daryl.

"Yeah, ain't much, but it'll do for now. We should make a sweep, check that nothin' got in," he said, looking at T-Dog, Rick, and Glenn. They nodded, Glenn and T-Dog checking the perimeter while Daryl and Rick took the house. The rest stood there, weapons ready in case they were needed.

It didn't take long for the boys to deem the property safe for the time being. Everyone moved forward, taking all of their stuff with them. They had left enough supplies in the cars, in case they needed to make a run for it.

Everyone stopped in the living room, waiting for Daryl.

"Where we all goin', Daryl. Your house, your rules," Rick said, looking at the hunter expectantly.

"Uh, right. No one go near Merle's room, it's the one in the back hallway upstairs; don't know what's in there. Rick, Lori, and Carl can take the room that's down here, back that hallway. Hershel and Beth can take the guest room upstairs, it's the firs' on the left. Maggie and Glenn can have the basement, it's finished and everythin'. T-Dog can take the living room," he listed off before stalking to the kitchen.

Carol followed him to find him already looking through the cupboards for food supplies that they could use when they left.

"And where am I goin'?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You're gonna be with me, if that's alright?"

"You heard Rick: your house, your rules," Carol replied with a smile to show that she wasn't opposed to the idea at all.

Daryl nodded and continued his task. Carol decided to join in, finding canned and boxed goods in the bottom shelves, definitely food they could eat. The Dixon boys certainly hadn't used much of the supplies they had there.

They had already organized all of the weapons and sent T-Dog out on watch. The rest of the group had gone to their rooms to try and get caught up on rest.

"It was a good idea to come here; we'll be safe. For a few nights at least," Carol said as she pulled out the final box from the cupboard she was working on.

"Yeah, figured this place should be used for somethin' good."

Carol hadn't even thought about how difficult it would for him to be back to this place. He probably hadn't been here without Merle, and it probably brought back memories of his brother. He most certainly would have been reminded of his dad. Carol had seen the marks on his back when he had been shot and could only assume what his father had done to give him all of those markings.

"You okay?"

"Course. Just never liked this place much."

She nodded in understanding. If she had to go back to the place she had shared with Ed, she wouldn't have been able to handle it. She was moving on from Ed and everything he had ever done or said to her. The only good thing he had ever done was give her Sophia. Carol wasn't going to be weak little Carol Peletier ever again, and she was going to make sure that Daryl made it through this.

"Probably should get our stuff upstairs," he told her as he pulled out the last can in the kitchen.

Daryl led he small room at the top of the stairs. The room didn't have much in it, ust a bed ad dressers that she could tell had clothes in them. There was one picture of a woman on his bedside table.

"That's my momma: the only person to ever give a shit 'bout me," Daryl said when he saw what she was looking at.

"That's not true," Carol mumbled softly, placing one of their bags down in the corner of the room.

Daryl looked at her questioningly, raising an eyebrow, but she ignored him as she got the things they needed from the bags.

"It'll be nice to sleep in a bed for a change. And get a shower," she mused as she finished her task.

Daryl nodded in agreement as he got out some more blankets for the evening.

Once everything was set up, the two went downstairs to find everyone already sitting in the living room. It had been the first time they had felt a relative calm since they stayed at the farm.

"I think this is a good place to rest for a week or two. Daryl knows the area around here, and we can continue to stalk up on supplies," Rick said when he saw Daryl and Carol come in the room.

"There's a town a few miles away. Probably find somethin' there," Daryl said from his spot in the doorway.

Rick nodded. "That's good. We can regroup and plan our next move in the meantime."

"Why can't we just stay here?" Beth asked, looking around. "We have a fence, and Daryl can hunt."

"That fence ain't gonna hold. We're surrounded by the woods which means Geeks could surround us before we could ever get out," Daryl explained, sighing. He definitely didn't want to stay there longer than necessary.

"We'll figure something out, but for right now, just enjoy this place," Rick said, smiling softly at Beth.

The group went about setting up the house, cleaning what they could. Daryl informed the group that his pa had had a generator in the basement, and so they set out to try and get it working while Daryl went hunting.

Beth and Carol started getting the kitchen cleaned, hoping that they'd be able to use the stove for the evening's dinner. Once they were given the all clear on the generator, the two women decided to make some noodles that had been in the cupboards, using some seasoning the Dixons had left there to make the broth.

It was a few hours later when Daryl came in with the meat he had already skinned and prepared for Carol to cook.

"Found a wild turkey out there. Figured it'd be good for the group to have a good meal."

Beth grinned widely, taking the meat from the man.

"Thank you. Might take a while longer to cook, but it'll be good," Carol said as the women got to work on the meal.

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"Woman, you've done enough today. Let someone else finish cleanin' up after dinner," Daryl said gruffly as he waited for Carol to finish up. Most of the group had already gone to their rooms for the night. Dinner was one of the best they had had since the farm, and they were all content to rest in the house for as long as the walkers would let them.

"We got it Carol," Hershel said, indicating to him and Beth.

Carol nodded before following Daryl, who was heavily clunking his way up the steps.

Once they got to the room, Daryl immediately toed of his boots and got into his bed. It was clear that the bed wasn't designed for adults, much less two of them. Carol, however, fidgeted, taking her time to get ready for sleep. They were going to lie together in a bed. Sure, they slept in the same tent, even the same sleeping bag, but a bed felt different.

"I can hear yer mind racin'. Just come to bed, Woman," Daryl called out, scooting over to leave as much room for her as he could in the small bed. She smiled as she rested beside him. She had no idea why it was so awkward for her. She knew she had feelings for the man, and he was making it apparent that he felt for her too.

"Sorry."

"Ain't nothin' to apologize for. Whatever this is, I don't know what the hell I'm doin', but I'm tryin' my fucking best to make this how you want it," he grumbled, tugging her body closer to his so that her head was snuggled into his chest so that he was a human pillow.

"I don't know what I'm doing either, but we're learning together. I never had anyone care whether I lived or died except Sophia and my momma, so what you're doing is more than I ever expected. Don't worry about trying to please me, this is good enough."

~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~CARYL~

They were there for a week when they began to plan for for their next run More and more walkers had been roaming around the fence; the noise that the group made was surely drawing them in. They had been pacing the cars and getting the group ready to leave, planning their next move.

"We need to decide who's going on this run," Rick said as they finished dinner, meat from a deer Daryl had found, some beans and canned peaches.

"I'll go with Daryl," Glenn offered. "I am the in-an-out guy."

"We need more than two of us," Daryl responded. "There's a lot of places to go to, and you need to stay with Lori."

"I'll go, Carol piped up from her seat beside Daryl, whose face pinched in anger immediately; he obviously was not happy at her volunteer.

"Ya ain't goin' with us," he all but growled.

"Why not? I know how to protect myself, and you'll be there with me. I know you won't let anything happen to me," she reasoned, pleading with him.

Daryl sighed, looking at the woman beside him. She had a steely look of determination in her eyes. Daryl knew that he wasn't going to win this fight. She could be stubborn, and Daryl knew the only way to make sure she stayed safe was to keep her with him. He'd protect her no matter what it took.

"Fine, but ya stay with me the entire time. Ya don't leave my side, woman," he warned, looking her in the eye to make sure she understood.

Carol nodded her agreement quickly. "Besides, you wouldn't know what to get for Lori, and we need to get winter clothes for the girls."

"I'll go too," Maggie decided. "I went to town all of the time back at the farm."

"Then it's agreed: the four of you will go in for the run. Be careful, and only get what you can.

Carol was happy that she was finally going to be able to provide for the was going to be one of the ones that brought home something that the group needed. She had been weak for too long, and with Daryl's help, she was going to move on and become stronger.

**A/N: Hit that button and get reviewing! **


	4. Chapter 4

**SUMMARY: "I ain't ever leavin' ya, woman, so ya better get used to having me around." Daryl and Carol get closer than ever before as the group struggles to find their way on the road. Picks up after the farm but disregards By the Dying Fire. Major CARYL! **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of this. Trust me, if I did CARYL would have happened ages ago!**

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long! I was probably more unhappy with me than you all were. I had prom, my senior project, and I was in New York City, so I just got too busy. I finished all of my finals, and will be graduating from high school in two weeks! So I should be able to update more frequently. Happy reading! Love you all! - Rachael**

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Everything had been ready the day before, allowing the group to leave early in the morning with the hope that they would be back before dark. They had filled the cars with bags and some food and blankets in case they ended up stuck for the night. Each was loaded with a few weapons, preparing for the worst. No one had any idea what the town would hold, and they had an uneasy feeling based on their past experiences with towns.

"Ya stay near me woman, ya hear?" Daryl said as he handed her a fully loaded gun.

"I'll make sure to stay near. I'm just glad that I'm able to do something for this group that doesn't involve cooking or cleaning."

Daryl nodded, giving her a small grin. The two were taking the truck while Maggie and Glenn were taking one of the other cars, giving them two options of escape.

"Be careful, and try to be back as soon as you can," Rick said, looking at Daryl. They loaded up in the cars and left for the town.

Though she'd never admit it, Carol was nervous for the run. She'd never been taken on any, and she wasn't sure what to expect. She knew that Daryl would do everything he could to protect her, but she didn't want him to be distracted because of her. She'd have to hold her own and prove that she could survive and provide just as well as the rest of their family. She didn't have to be just a housewife to the group any longer.

They pulled into a little town, hitting the smaller stores first. Daryl wanted to go to the camping supply store before they went anywhere else, knowing that if they left the confines of the house, they'd need the camping supplies to live off of the road. He was hoping to get enough that they could survive without shelter, if need be.

The store seemed relatively untouched, a surprise considering their experiences. A few walkers were in the store which Daryl was able to easily take out with his crossbow, allowing the others to move about the store freely.

"You two stay in the front of the store, and we'll take care of the back. Holler if ya need anythin'," Daryl said, gently pushing Carol in front of him to keep her in his line of sight.

She treked to the back with Daryl walking behind her the entire way, poised to take anything out that might be a danger to either of them. By the time they reached the back wall of the store, Daryl only had to take out two walkers, employees of the small store.

There were plenty of supplies available; it seemed as though nobody from the outside had gotten in, leaving everything intact and ready for the taking. They were abel to find some heavier tents that they hoped would be able to endure the cold of the winter. Carol managed to find a few knives, stuffing them in her bag. They couldn't always use guns, and ammo would eventually become limited or obsolete. They'd have to rely on hand weapons.

They continued to poke around, finding some other things they'd need, including a few more guns that were behind a glass case. Daryl quickly broke it, taking out as much as they could carry. He took a few of his own in the large bag he had shouldered.

By the time they had met up with Glenn and Maggie, they'd all found useful materials, more than they thought they'd find. Quickly making their way to the cars, unloading everything, so they'd be able to fit more supplies in their bags.

The next stop was a grocery store which had been picked apart.

"We could try the back room," Carol offered. "If people were in a hurry, they might not have thought to go back there."

Daryl nodded in agreement, so the four went back to storage, hoping to find some canned and boxed goods to store up on for the winter. Daryl led the group, crossbow at the ready, with Carol right behind him.

It didn't take too long to find the door, and it was locked up tight.

"Probably means no one's been through it," Glenn said hopefully, taking the axe from Maggie and hitting the lock off of the door. There were a few walkers by the door, all with vests on from the grocery store. Some of the workers had locked themselves in the room, but it didn't seem that they had been successful in saving themselves. They were easily taken out, and the group made their way further into the room.

There was food lining the walls, causing the four to split. The room wasn't terribly large; they'd be able to reach one another if there was any trouble.

Carol found canned goods and began to fill her bags again, using reusable grocery bags that had been stored in the truck. When she finished putting the cans in the bag, a moan was heard behind her. She quickly dropped one of the bags and grabbed her knife from her belt. She turned sharply and shoved the knife in the forehead of the walker, killing it instantly.

It was at that moment Daryl turned the corner searching for her, only to find the dead walker. He ran to her quickly, fear etched onto his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, running to her as fast as he could.

"'m fine," she sighed. "He worked here too, so we shouldn't have to worry that there are many more back here."

He nodded. "Just stay close."

Carol loved that he wasn't telling her off for dealing with it herself. He wasn't telling her that he'd take care of the walkers and that she shouldn't kill them. Instead, he was enabling her to stand up for herself. She didn't feel like a burden, but she knew that he was there to help her if she needed it.

* * *

He gently pulled her arm, indicating that they were leaving. The only things that they still had to get were clothes and things for the baby. Daryl knew of a small department store where they could the rest of their supplies and head back to the others.

The store seemed empty, just like the rest of the small town, though they were still cautious. They started shoving any clothing that would work into their bags, knowing that they could all use fresh clothes, underwear, and socks.

Carol indicated to Daryl that she was going to the baby aisle. He nodded in agreement but let her go on her own as he picked through a few jackets. The baby section was close enough that he would be able to get to her if need be, and they hadn't come across a single walker in the store.

Carol went ahead, putting a few blankets and onesies into her already overflowing bags. She grabbed anything she could get her hands on, though unfortunately, there wasn't any baby formula nearby. She picked up a small pink teddy bear. It was so similar to one that Sophia had had as a baby that it distracted her in thoughts of her lost little girl.

She was so distracted that she didn't see the first of the herd, but she definitely heard it. The moans rang out through the air, causing her to drop the bear. She turned abruptly, seeing them moving towards her quickly. She grabbed her gun out, knowing that there was no way a simple knife was going to protect her against so many.

"Daryl!" she called out, though that attracted even more of the walkers towards her. She had wanted to warn him and the others of the group of walkers. Before he could get there though, the walkers started to converge on her, leaving her to fend for herself. She aimed her gun and shot a few, getting them in the head. She was grateful that Daryl had insisted on teaching her after the farm.

When Daryl rounded the corner, there was no way to get to Carol. The only solution was to start killing as many as he could. He was hoping to kill enough that only a few reached her, though he knew that it wouldn't go in his favor.

He saw Maggie and Glenn get to the other side, drawing their weapons to start killing the walkers too. Daryl through himself in, killing a walker seconds before it was going to bite Carol, who was fighting harder than Daryl had ever seen her fight but knew she was capable of. It fell with a thud at her feet as she shot another between the eyes.

The herd was thinning with the combined effort of the four of them. Carol took out two more while arrows flew into the heads of three others. When the last of them were gone, Daryl let out a sigh of relief. Their family had remained intact.

That was before Carol came flying in his direction, pushing him aside, and shoving a walker out of the way. One had snuck up behind him and almost got him. However, when Carol tackled the walker, she fell with it. Daryl couldn't get a clear shot without the possibility of shooting her too, so he couldn't save her.

Carol quickly pulled out her knife and stabbed the walker in the eye.

Daryl rushed to help her up, checking every orifice for a bite or scratch. When he reached her legs, he noticed a tear in her jeans where blood had pooled. It was seeping into the denim. His face filled with panic as he grabbed her leg.

She eased him, grabbing his chin to make him look at her. "It's from a knife in my bag. It was poking through, and it got me while I was fighting. I promise. I know the rules, and I'm fine. I'm just fine," she assured him. He looked at her bag that was resting on the ground, and sure enough, there as a knife protruding through the canvas haphazardly.

He heaved out a breath before putting both of his hands on either side of her face. He stared into her eyes for a second, assuring himself that she was there, and she was alright. He then pulled her face gently so that their lips could meet. It was rough and passionate, full of fear and desperation that he had felt when he thought he had lost her.

She responded just as fiercely, placing her hands on his waist to steady herself. They pulled away, giving one another a few softer kisses. Maggie and Glenn had big smiles on their faces, clearly happy with the couples progress.

Daryl flipped them off before picking up their forgotten backs before grinning at Carol. "Let's get the fuck outta here."

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**A/N: So they kissed! Let me know what you think! Hit that button and get reviewing!**


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